Contact: Penelope Lord
by Here4thebooks
Summary: Jericho meets up with an old friend and spends a day with her while running from his father. Set before chapter 8.
**Hello all!**

 **I recently reread New Teen Titans Spotlight and loved Jericho's story about Penelope. To me she is the only girl who the audience knows that he loves her enough to ask her to marry him. To me all the other women in his life are just friends and never get very far with him even if they want to. Please remember that this story isn't just about Joey's relationship with his father but with people in general so don't be sad if the fatherly Slade isn't here yet, give it time. Trust takes time to build but can easily be destroyed.**

"Hey Joe, get dressed into something nice, I'm going out on business and I want you to come too."

 _When I said I wanted to go into town this is not what I meant. I don't want anything to do with your schemes._

He sat up from his place on his bed, he had been lying down staring listlessly out the window to the grey city. He couldn't see the ocean from his window even when he stood on his tiptoes.

"Yes, I will be meeting with a client; Mr Lord but he said that he would be bring his daughter, Penelope, along with him."

Slade could see that being stuck in the some house with no true freedom was having the same effect on his son that it had had on Robin. The boy was having nightmares and although Slade only raised a hand against him if he didn't something that warranted it the boy was skittish and didn't want to be touched. He needed to talk to someone else that wasn't him or Wintergreen; someone his own age. He trusted Joey not to elaborate about their relationship and if he did it didn't matter, he was his father and therefore was legally the guardian of the boy whether he liked it or not. This put Slade in a far more relaxed state of mind than he had been with Robin, whom he had to hind away like a child with a pet they were not allowed to keep and would be taken away if it was discovered.

 _Penny? But I haven't seen her in ages!_

Slade smiled, the mention of Miss Lord had had the desired effect. The boy paused, weighing up his options. He hadn't seen Penny since he had been kidnapped by Jackal. He remembered when they would play together, oblivious to their fathers' work. She was a real tomboy with short spiky hair which she cut herself. She was only a year older then him but had no patience for his emotional outbursts. Even now he remembered her grey blue eyes light up as she laughed in the face of danger while he cowered behind her.

She wasn't the only one who thought he was a wimp, Grant would often smash him to the ground when no one was around and when he started to cry Grant would call him a sissy and say that their father was ashamed of how weak and emotional he was. Not even his mother really understood him as she too had trained in the military was more like her ex-husband then she would care to admit.

 _Give me a minute to get ready._

His father laughed as he left the room. He knew his son would want to see his childhood friend and before Joey's injury he had wanted them to get married one day, the union of a crime boss's family and the Terminator's family would be a strong a viable union. But now it didn't really matter anymore.

They drove into Steel and after a long period of time they parked the car in front of a tall building made of shiny dark glass which reflected the constant grey skies of Steel.

A valet took their car and they were escorted into the lobby by a man who clearly expected them.

They took a private elevator to floor 52 and when they stepped out onto the landing they had a great view of almost the entire. The Titans East tower stool looking over the bay and city. So close yet too far away to save him even knowing he was there.

They were led to an office by a lady who fawned over his father and ignored Joey.

"Slade, welcome! It's good to see you after all these years. Your image has only become more infamous. And who is this young man?" The man stood up from behind his desk, his arms open wide in greeting.

"It's good to see you too after all this time Arthur; I trust the H.I.V.E. is doing well. This is my son Joseph."

"Ah yes, you have grown my boy," the man laughed, clapping Joey on the back almost throwing him to the ground.

 _It's nice to meet you too, sir._ He was trying to polite even though he didn't really care if he ever met this men in the first place let alone the fact that he knew that soon this men and his father would be discussing the death of some ignorant rival. Slade gripped his son's shoulder, proud of the fact that he had been polite to a well-respected business partner.

Despite his politeness he could tell that the man had no idea what he was saying so he just put his arms down allowing his father to do the talking, there was no point in trying to interact with someone who not only didn't understand sign language but clearly didn't care what he had to say in the first place.

"I was hoping that Joseph and Penelope could reacquaint themselves. It's been such a long time and they've grown so much. I also wished to keep this interaction private, I don't want my son to get any ideas.

"Ah yes, Grant, I always mourn any man who could have done well in this world, and your son was one of those men. It was a great pity that he had to die so young. I am just sorry that I had to have a hand in his death, I am truly sorry."

"As you have said," Slade growled through gritted teeth. "But I admit, you are not truly to blame, he was angry and he never had any good ideas when he was angry. He was a reckless boy and I only encouraged him. I do not want that for my second son, he will have no part in this, he had already been tainted by our world enough, I only wanted him to get out of the house and meet old friends, I know the worth of what it to have old friends and I would like him to know it as well."

"Yes, yes of course," he turned to speak in to a receiver on him deck. "Claire could you have penny come in here, I need her to entertain a friend."

'Right away Mr Lord' came the cheery response.

When Penny finally stepped into her father's office she greeted her father and shock Slade's hand bowing her head in reverent respect. Joey could never see his father in that way, but he had realised long ago that that was how many saw him, as Deathstroke the Terminator, the mercenary who never missed. Although Robin would never admit it to anyone he respected his father too, Joey could tell, but it wasn't in the way the Lord's did, it was respect out of his fear of the man's strength, power and knowledge, and the fact that if he really wanted to he could kill him and all his friends in a heartbeat.

Penny had grown a lot and although she had once been shorter than him she now towered him by more than few centimetres. Granted he hadn't hit puberty yet but it still made him uncomfortable. She had grown her hair out and now it hung wildly around her neck. It was glossy black and straight.

She smiled at him warmly and looked at her father expectantly.

"Penny I want you to take Joey out and entertain him for a while. We'll call you back when we are done, but it may take some time and we do not want to be disturbed."

"Don't leave this building, I don't want you two wondering off," Slade growled sternly then adding as he bent down next to Joey ear so only he could hear. "If you leave, if you try and contact the Titans in any way I will have to kill them, and I don't really want to do that but if you don't behave that is what will have to happen. Do you understand me?" Joey nodded.

 _Could I have some paper and a pen please?_

Slade translated as though he hadn't threatened to kill the Titans and Joey was handed a piece of paper and pen and both him and Penny were told to leave.

The boy was trying hard not to cry in front of her but his eyes were hot and his throat ached.

 _So what do you want to do?_ He wrote.

"Nice to see you too Joe." she said rolling her eyes. "It's been so long, you had a voice last time we met. What didn't your dad tell you? You look pretty distressed."

 _I was just hoping my Dad would be less protective for one day._

Why does your Dad not want you to leave the building? I can protect you and I'm sure nothing would happen to us out there.

 _I just can't leave, I am not allowed._

"That sucks, I hate it in here, Daddy works all the time and he insisted to bring me in today, and I hate it."

 _I think that was because of me, sorry._

"No it's alright, I haven't seen you in a long time, I'm glad you're here."

 _I know, but my Mum and Dad split up. I hate bring with my Dad too._

"Why don't you stay with your Mum then?"

 _Because she died a couple of months ago. But he won't let me leave._

"Oh…shit. Is he hurting you?"

 _No, not really but that just make it worse; he makes me feel like I want to be with him. He's a really bad person and I don't want to learn from him. I know your father is like him but at least he cares about you, my Dad only wants me so he can show me off but I don't know and I don't want to know. I miss my friends and I haven't talking to anyone my own age in the past month, at least I think it's been a month._

Okay, calm down kid, God I forgot how highly strung you are. Who are your friends?

 _The Titans, I hope they're out looking for me._

"Wait your friends with the Easters and you're the son of the Terminator. No wonder your father took you away from them, they are total dorks, they suck and they're always get in my father's way. I hate them, why are you friends with them? They're only want to be popular, they don't actually want to save the city."

 _No they are not, they are my friends and they are good people._

"Ha! Arrow's sidekick is the most stuck up person you could ever meet."

 _They are better than hanging around with my Dad or yours, I thought you would understand, obviously you have no idea how I feel!_

"You should just tell him how you feel, you dork, and don't get all emotional on me now, I hated it when you cried, and you cried a lot."

 _Shut up!_

Penny looked over at Joe and noticed that he wasn't doing so well. He was too skinny to his age, his hair was messy and unkempt, and his eyes were sunken with purple bags underneath them. She could tell that he wasn't having a fun time, in any aspect of his life right now. He looked fed up with it all and she was just pushing him over the edge. She put a hand on his shoulder but he flinched as if she was going to hit him. Oh, man, he was in a dark place right now. She knew what she didn't when she was upset…

"Kid, you look like you could use a break. Your eyes are so sunken you look like a raccoon." She laughed but Joey didn't move, he thought it sounded morbid.

 _We can't leave, didn't you hear my Dad? We're not going to be able to leave the building. The only way it would work is if…_

"What? What would make it work?"

 _If I was able to get inside you. Penny, you have to promise that you won't tell your Dad about this!_

"About what?"

 _Penny!_

"Okay, I promise."

 _I have superpowers! I can jump inside someone and use their bodies. I know it sounds creepy but it's true, here I'll show you._

He grabbed her shoulders and willed her to look into his sea green eyes as they turned black as coal. Conact! With a cold, floating sensation he no longer had a body made of flesh and blood of his own. Instead he was looking though a new pair of eyes at the spot where he had been moments beforehand.

He could feel Penny's discomfort at the fact that she couldn't control her body and a sense of unease spread throughout his body which was not uncommon for a body that he had never been into before. He was used to it now.

"Since when were you able to do this?" Penny asked aloud to no one. The room was now empty except for her. She had a touch of panic in her voice and Joe could tell that she was trying hard not to scream with the stress and tension of not being in control.

 _ **Penny it's okay, this way we can get out of the building and I'm not walking out with my own two feet. It won't take long for us to get out, I won't stay in you any longer then I have too I promise.**_ Penny could feel her lips form a smile although she wasn't not the one smiling.

"Wow, it's been such a long time since I've heard your voice!"

 _ **Yeah well, don't get used to it.**_ Joey said bitterly.

"What happened?"

 _ **Deathstroke happened. Let's just get of here.**_

They headed quickly towards the lift but was stopped as the woman behind the desk called over to them.

"Where are you off the Miss Penelope, I thought your job was to stay here and distract the Wilson Boy?" The receptionist asked, not even looking up from her computer.

Penny's body turned around more gracefully than she normally would her arm flying out on the way around to press the elevator button. Penny had no idea what to say any she had the urge to play with her hair but her arms didn't move.

"Um, I was going to see Henry. Joseph's in the bathroom, so I was hoping I could ditch the kid, you know like I said I would, I hate hanging around whine-ass kids like him- Ouch!" she shrieked as she pinched her arm painfully.

"Are you alright dear?" the woman finally looked up from her work to look at the girl with a concerned look on her face.

"Yeah, just stubbed my toe on the… on the ground." She finished lamely.

"I'll be sure to tell the brat where you've gone when he comes back then," she said looking back down at her work and carried on typing.

The cheery ding of the lift arriving chimed and she sighed a silent breath of relief.

 _ **Why did you say you hated hanging out with me**_ _?_ Joey's voice echoed around her head as he screamed when the doors had slid shut. He sounded furious.

"I have to put on an act in front of certain people, to be honest, it's her I can't stand. So what do you use your powers for?" She asked trying to change the subject, she didn't really want to go into this with him now.

 _ **Infiltration and outfiltration like this. But I have to be looking at someone in the eyes to be able to control them so if my eyes are covered it's useless.**_

"Has that happened to you before?"

 _ **Yeah when the Titans were fight the Brotherhood of Evil.**_

"I was in Paris when that happened, I don't ever get to do things that are that cool though."

 _ **You do so!**_

"Do not!"

 _ **Do so!**_

They laughed loudly at the fact that they sounded like they were six again.

The lift opened with a cheery ding and they walked out across the lobby and through the doors out onto the street without any questions asked or even any weird looks from anyone. When they had walked half block they rounded the corner and broke apart feeling as though it was safe as they were out of site of the H.I.V.E complex.

"That was so cool!" Penny yelled jumping and punching the air, happy to be able to have her body back.

 _Yeah, but it took a lot out of me, we might need to wait while before I can do that again. Im not used to being in someone for that long_. He explained, breathing heavily, his hands on his knees.

"Wait. I can understand you! Why can I understand sign language?"

Joe looked sheepishly at the ground as he kicked the dust with his flats.

 _I may have left some memories of me learning sign in your brain so that you can understand me without having to write everything down._

"Joe I know you only wanted to make thing easier for us but that is an invasion of my privacy and I don't ever want you to do that to me again. Got it?" Penelope looked really angry and Joey had the urge to back way like he would if it was his father.

 _I'm really sorry Penny, I rarely do that but I just wanted for you to understand me. Selfish, I know but I wanted to make it easy for the both for us and…_

"Joey, I understand why you did it and im okay with that you should have asked me before doing it. It's an invasion of privacy and that's not what I want our friendship to be; I want it to be that we tell each other things because we want to and not because you go into my mind and inplant stuff in my mind without asking first."

Joe nodded solemnly in understanding.

What about we head for the artsy part of town it right around these streets, if I remember correctly you are a musical connoisseur," she smiled that perfect smiled that made Joey smile back despite his precarious situation.

The artsy part of town was only a few blocks away from the complex. They walked slowly, catching up on the lifestyles they had had since Joe's parents divorced.

They stopped by a shop that had dusty walls lined with books and CDs and even some tapes that looked like they were unusable. It took them an hour to rummage through one section and the result, although small, was satisfying. Joey had collected three books and five CDs and Penny had managed to find twelve CDs but because she wasn't much of a reader she only bought one book. Joey was into Jazz, blues and other classical music whereas Penny was into more modern music that you could sing along to.

Penny payed for their hale as Joey was still financially dependent on his father hopefully was still unaware of their sneaky escape but knowing how much of a control freak his father was, he would have checked on them half an hour ago and found them missing.

"Where else should we go, my partner in crime?"

Joey flinched.

 _We're not criminals!_

"I know, I know," Penny said holding up her hands. "It's just a phrase, God you hero types are so antsy!"

 _Okay, I'm sure we can find someplace around here that sells art supplies. My Dad only gave me the bare minimum and I need more than that if I want to be able to paint again._

"Okay, I'm sure we can find someplace that sells artsy stuff for you to do your painting," Penny looked around and zeroed in on an ice cream shop across the road. "But first we need ice cream." She dragged Joey across the road getting tooted at by several car making his face turn bright red.

The shop was cool and smelt sweet. Joey's eyes widened when he saw the endless flavours that lay before him. The question: what do you want? Seemed to be the hardest question he'd ever been asked.

"I can get you a triple cone if you want; my treat" Penny offered noticing his torn expression.

He nodded in agreement and started sifting through the ones he didn't want, in the end he settled with Golden Gay Time, Turkish Delight and Cookie Dough. Penny opted for Mint Chocolate Swirl and Cookie Dough. They ate them outside on brightly coloured stools that needed repainting.

"Do you have a girlfriend?"

The question was out of the blue and made Joey all but topple off the green stool he was sitting on. He was thirteen and hadn't seen anyone besides his father and Wintergreen for the past few months. He had been too busy catching up with his school work to even worry about trying to get out and although he would never say it out loud he was really enjoying his stay with his dad, more than he had ever expected to. The only thing that was getting to him was the lack of free time activities, he needed to get back into his art.

"It was just a question Green-Eyes, no need to get your knickers in a twist." She said sighing dramatically.

 _Girls aren't at the top of my list right now._

"Yeah, yeah; escape from your Dad and all that, but really though, you're out, you could just make a run for it now, jump into some random guy and grab a cab to the Easters' Tower and by the time he know your gone he'll have no way to stop you and you'll be safe with your little hero friends."

 _That plan won't work, he said that if he had to get me back from the Titans again he would just kill them and I don't want my friends to die._

"Okay."

 _Okay? I just said my Dad would kill my friends if I went to them for help!_

"You're not the only one whose going through the same shit over and over, Joe. My Dad isn't going to win any Father-of-the-Year awards any time some. At least your Dad wants you around."

Joey didn't bother answering, he knew she was right. He was over reacting, his dad wasn't that bad and despite knowing what had happened to Robin under his care he really like his dad he just didn't agree with his work.

"Let's go to this art-supply shop I promised."

At least Penny knew when he was sorry without having to say it.

He nodded in agreement.

They kept walking down the street. Joey had no idea where they were, he had never been to Steel City before and even though he had lived in New York with his mum for most of his life this was not New York. The streets weren't linear, they turned and twisted in weird spots. He was glad he had Penny with him, he would be lost without her.


End file.
